Definition: Percentage of newborns fed breast milk during their hospitalization, by type of breastfeeding and race/ethnicity (e.g., in 2022-2024, 63.7% of Hispanic/Latino infants born in a hospital to California mothers were breastfed exclusively during their hospitalization).
Data Source: California Dept. of Public Health, In-Hospital Breastfeeding Initiation Data (Aug. 2026).
Footnote: Race/ethnicity is based upon the mother's and father's race/ethnicity as reported on the birth certificate. Race/ethnicity categories are mutually exclusive. Cases with unknown race/ethnicity are included in data for 'all races/ethnicities.' Newborns who receive breast milk only during their hospitalization are included in both 'any breastfeeding' and 'exclusive breastfeeding' categories; newborns who receive both breast milk and formula are included in 'any breastfeeding' but not in 'exclusive breastfeeding.' Data are based on feedings from birth to the time of specimen collection by the Newborn Screening Program (usually 24 to 48 hours after birth). County-level data reflect the mother's county of residence. The notation S refers to data that have been suppressed because there were fewer than 20 cases in that group.
